camerapediafandomcom-20200215-history
Bloc Métal 45
The Bloc Métal 45 was a 6×9cm folding camera, released in 1946 by the French maker Pontiac. It had an aluminium body with a rounded shape, reminiscent of the Lynx, and the same striated finish covered with black paint. It had a bright aluminium top plate, incorporating an optical finder, a depth of field indicator, an accessory shoe and the shutter release. Film advance was by knob and red window. The early bodies had a bellows made of cloth instead of leather because of the shortage in raw materials. At the opposite, the very last bodies received a leatherette or leather covering. The lens and shutter combinations were: * early: Prontor II shutter to 1/175, self timer, not marked Pontiac, perhaps not synchronized: ** Roussel Trylor 105/4.5 (see the 1947 ad here and the first ad here) ** Berthiot Flor 105/4.5 (see here and the first ad here) * Bloc Métal 45 Standard: Gitzo Zotic I 25-200 shutter, advertised since 1949 (see a Pontiac ad here and the Photo Plait 1949 catalogue here) ** Bloc Métal 45 sa: Roussel Trylor 105/4.5 (see here) ** Bloc Métal 45 saf: Berthiot Spécial 105/4.5 (see here) ** Bloc Métal 45 sb: Berthiot Flor 105/4.5 (see here) * Bloc Métal 45 Luxe: Prontor II shutter to 1/200, self timer and flash sync ** Bloc Métal 45 a: Roussel Trylor 105/4.5 (common) ** Bloc Métal 45 af: Berthiot Spécial 105/4.5 (common) ** Bloc Métal 45 b: Berthiot Flor 105/4.5 (common) ** Bloc Métal 45 c: Berthiot Flor 105/4.5 4-element (announced in a 1949 ad, probably never made) ** Bloc Métal 45 d: Berthiot Flor 105/3.5 4-element (announced in the same ad, probably never made) * Bloc Métal 145: Compur-Rapid to 1/400 & Berthiot Flor 105/4.5 The Berthiot lenses were coated, the Trylor was not. The Trylor and the Berthiot Spécial were 3 element lenses. Unless noted, the Flor 105/4.5 was a 5 element lens, said to be specially designed for the Bloc Métal 45. The Prontor II shutter had a self timer and a flash sync. The first ones had a top speed of 1/175, were not marked Pontiac, and maybe they were not synchronized. The Zotic shutter is said to equip the last series, but it is advertised since 1949 as the Bloc Métal 45 Standard. The Bloc Métal 145 variant, released around 1951, had a Compur-Rapid shutter marked licence française (French license), with a self timer but no flash sync. Production of the 45 and 145 stopped in 1954. Vial says that Pontiac announced a Bloc Métal 245, a variant with a Berthiot Flor f/3.5 lens. He also mentions other projects: a Bloc Métal making 4.5×6cm pictures on 120 film, and another making 4×6.5cm pictures on 127 film. Bibliography * * Pontiac Lynx, Super Lynx, Baby Lynx, Fotofiche 15, Patrice-Hervé Pont, Fotosaga. Links * At Sylvain Halgand site : ** Pontiac Bloc Metal 45 ** Pontiac Bloc Metal 45 ** Pontiac Bloc Metal 45 ** Pontiac Bloc Metal 45 ** Pontiac Bloc Metal 45 ** Pontiac Bloc Metal 45 ** Pontiac Bloc Metal 45 (export) ** Pontiac Bloc Metal 45 AB ** Pontiac Bloc Metal 45 AF ** Pontiac BM 45 AF * The Pontiac page at Gérard Langlois site * The Pontiac page at ClicClac * A Bloc Métal 45 at Mario Groleau's site Category: 6x9 viewfinder folding Category: France Category: Pontiac Category: B